Fantastic ride with susan! I am a rider with experience and I highly recommend for other…read moreexperienced riders (as well as beginners). It is definitely not boring like other trail rides. Susan had us meet at her facility and then we followed her trailer to the trail head where she helped us mount the horses. It was super fun and Susan keeps the ride entertaining. Her horses are fantastic and did not seem like they spooked easily. They were very used to cars, barking dogs, hikers, cyclists, etc. Susan also offered to take pictures of my friend and I when we stopped at a scenic spot.

Actually provides some instruction rather than "just sit on the horse and go where it takes you."…read moreAnd a beautiful ride with fantastic views! Thank you!

I'm a lifelong horse-lover. I grew up riding and showing Saddlebred horses in Oklahoma. After…read morecollege and moving to California I found myself 8 years out of the saddle. I never really thought I could find a trainer or facility that compared to where I grew up riding. Then I found Brigitte Scholl and Monarch on the American Saddle Horse Association website in January of 2010. Monarch Stables is the best barn I could ever have imagined. The facility is beautiful, well-equipped, and serene. Most importantly, Brigitte Scholl, the owner and trainer is a true horse whisperer and a gifted riding instructor. She operates every aspect of Monarch Stables with passion and integrity. Every horse is cared for immaculately and in a manner uniquely suited to his/her personality. Every rider has Brigitte's undivided attention. If you're a veteran rider or a novice who's always wanted to give Saddleseat riding a shot, you will be equally welcomed. If your child has been bugging you for horseback riding lessons, go for it! In my opinion there's no better outlet: through horseback riding they can learn the subtleties of communication with both horses and people, the responsibility of caring for an animal, the self-confidence that comes from competing with true sportsmanship.

I've been so impressed with Monarch Stables. My 7 year old granddaughter started her initiation…read moreinto this wonderful world of horses last September. She had had the best experience one could have with the expertise, and extraordinary patience! of her trainer Cheyenne Cairns. The facilities are in a beautiful setting, and there are many options for riding - even in inclement weather! I am a complete novice to this sport, and everyone I've met have been very helpful and supportive. From my first visit in 2018, Brigitte Scholl has always been warm and patient with my questions and concerns. I highly recommend this facility for anyone, and especially for folks new to the sport. Thanks to all at Monarch Stables!

If I could give this trainer no stars I would. Not only was she very rude to my friend who is very…read moreknowledgeable about gaited horses but she promised her deposit back when she called her way less than 24 hours after she gave it to her. She Then allowed the horse owner to call and refuse to refund her deposit! We both heard Tiana say it was refundable. A vet check wasn't even discussed until after this statement. Very unprofessional because Tiana was representing the horse, not the owner. Legally the deposit should be returned. My friend changed her mind with in a 20 hour period. This trainer was also Riding in tennis shoes. Not impressive or a good example to her students. She was rude & abrasive to my friend which was totally unacceptable.

Tiana Wells is not for everyone as one reviewer obviously expressed. However, she is as straight up…read morea person as I have met in my 21 years living in the Valley. I would say that her tolerance for difficult horses is much greater than for difficult people. My experience is one of our twelve year old going on her fourth year riding with Tiana. Our daughter cannot think about doing anything other than being at LisRobin Barn all weekend, every weekend with Tiana, the horses and a great group of girl pals that share the love of horses and each other. We appreciate the passion, responsibility culture and knowledge that Tiana brings to her girls. The girls learn how to WORK, how to show respect the ol' Virginny way and what it means to love and care for an animal. (I would recommend reading the additional filtered reviews - I can assure you that these are not "reviews for hire" - these are from folks like me that are concerned that one negative review will harm our friends at LisRobin. To get the real picture, I'd advise heading down to the Barn some Saturday to see for yourself.) We are blessed to have such a wonderful program right here under our noses. We could not ask for a better mentor and a healthier horse environment than we have with Tiana Wells and LisRobin Barn. From a very happy Dad...

I'm disappointed with my son's experience at the one-week camp. He came away having learned very…read morelittle. It appears that he was afraid or hesitant, and instead of helping him work through those fears, the instructors simply allowed him to opt out of learning. We also received no communication during the week about the challenges he was facing, so we had no opportunity to support him. I would have expected the staff to both keep us informed and encourage him to gradually overcome his fears rather than letting him avoid the activities entirely.

This place may or may not be great, unfortunately they are unable to accommodate adults over 160…read morepounds. What an incredibly disappointing experience.

Anne and her team at Karuna are great. I've had my horse with her for four months now for…read morerehab/training and he is doing better than ever despite getting older. Unlike other barns, the team has a deep knowledge of equine nutrition, correct movement and correct hoof trimming and their effects on the health and performance of a horse. Everything is based on being as close to nature as possible, they feed timothy and orchard hay and they have it tested regularly. My horse is coming back from a tendon injury and Anne has been riding my boy in the correct frame to allow strengthening and in accordance with the doctor's plans. Her style is the French line of classical dressage and she has a lesson program too (which I have not partaken in yet as I live farther away and only come once a week to school my boy by myself). They have an outdoor arena with great footing and generous size individual turnouts for the horses. And the atmosphere at the barn is very relaxed and peaceful. Horse people will know that's not easy to find :)

Another stable that did not call me back! Why are you listed for people to call and not answering…read moreyour phone or messages?

How can I write this review without gushing about Lesann? Rubicon Farms is our home away from…read morehome, and Les is so amazing! We have 3 "Winning" horses in the barn, and my daughter (8 yrs old) is making amazing progress on her pony! Brooke went from just trotting.. to jumping "courses" in weeks! Also, we just purchased a 5 year old from Texas recently...Lesann is really the only trainer I would trust with him. She is a miracle worker! LS

My 2 daughters have been riding and showing with LesAnn for the last 5 years and couldn't be…read morehappier. We feel like part of the family here and she has taught my girls to be Champions literally and to be wonderful well adjusted kids. For all this I thank her. She has given us some of the best and happiest experiences of our lives. We love you LesAnn! We are looking forward to many more to come.

This suburban farm offers horse boarding, riding lessons, kids camps and birthday parties…read more We have friends who's daughter attended their summer camp and loved it. Based on their experience we decided to have our daughter's 6th birthday party here and it was great fun for all. For Birthday parties you essentially have the exclusive use of a little park-like area in the center of the farm that has a play structure, picnic tables, a good number of shady trees and a small barn with petting-zoo type animals. The party rentals are two hours, with the first hour offering pony rides and during the second hour the petting zoo barn is open. We had two pony's at a time for the kids to ride, and with 10 kids that worked out to about two rides each. This was perfect timing so that we could do Pizza and cup cakes after the pony rides, then once the kids were done eating they excitedly ran over to pet the animals in the petting zoo. For the petting zoo portion there were chickens, pigs, bunnies, goats, sheep and a miniature horse the size of a large dog. The kids LOVED petting and brushing the animals. You don't need to add any additional activities or entertainment for the kids because the two hours are nicely full. The kids were constantly in motion and playing on the play structure when not riding a pony or in the petting zoo. All the kids seemed thrilled with the activities and were having tons of fun. All-in-all the process of having a party here, from reserving the day to clean up afterward, is pretty smooth. The only downside was a multi-page contract form that had to be signed by the parents of all the kids. The forms have to be returned to the hostess and the hostess then returns them to the farm with a guest list, as one packet, the Thursday before the party. It would be easier if the parents could just do the form on-site, but I'm guessing that the management wants to be sure the parents read it fully and agree to the terms in advance. But despite the paperwork I highly recommend Morning Star to anyone with grade school age kids.

Kid's Birthday party review…read more Discovered via local moms club and "background checked" on yelp, we decided to have our son's 4th birthday party at Morning Star and I prayed it would live up to its stars b/c we had friends driving from Concord, SF, and beyond to attend. The verdict is that we'd give it a 6th star if we could! The things we loved were that they have a covered option in case of rain, a sweet playground at the uncovered area, where the 2-5 yr olds had a total blast, and a little petting zoo. The trainer Rachel, who led the kids and ponies, two by two, was a pro and helped even the nervous kids feel confident. Each kid got about two rides, which was perfect. The owner helped us set up tables and put up a shade/rain structure since it had rained all morning and we weren't sure if we'd need it. Also, $200 for a 2-pony party for two hours is a great deal in my book, esp compared to $800-1,000 Discovery Museum party price tag (we love it there too, just, gulp). The only down side, as others noted, is the release forms. They are necessary of course, but the onus of getting each family to sign them and submit before the party is on the party-thrower. It is time consuming up front and I wasn't making any friends for a while there, but it makes it so guests don't have to mess with forms when they get there. One idea is to have people use CamScanner or another scanning app on their phones so it can all be done electronically, and to leave a few day's cushion for missing forms. Lastly, I appreciated that all of the animals looked very well-cared for and the whole property was clean and inviting.

Michelle at MQ Training is an incredibly knowledgeable horse trainer and horseback riding…read moreinstructor. I can't recommend her enough. She works with all levels, from beginners to advanced riders, and really knows how to meet you where you're at. There is something extremely special about her style that connects you with your horse and to become a better rider. Additionally, she did an amazing job training my horse and has given him all the cool buttons. I've learned so much from her along the way. Horseback riding lessons are always fun, she's super knowledgeable, friendly and the barn has such a welcoming, positive atmosphere for everyone.